The Mourning of Racey Lacey
by theflooffamily
Summary: Two years later, Mr. Gold still mourns for a woman that would never be his. Pre-Emma Storybrooke, takes place in the first week of the curse.


**Based on pure speculation of what Lacey might be like. It doesn't contain any spoilers and is based purely around my headcanon of how Regina might have played with Rumple's memories when dealing with Belle.**

**I normally don't publish stuff that I write so feedback is lovely. I may be exploring more of these two later on. Special thanks to Deliahbe for editing it, and my tumblr mother TemporalTeatime for telling me to continue it**  
**(and who also gave me an awesome alternative summary :D Thanks a bunches you guys!**

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Some said that the library was haunted.

The rumor was if you went inside you could even still hear her walking around among the shelves of books. Nicholas Tillman swears he heard her crying (no one ever believes him though, not since he claimed to have seen a wolf a month earlier).

And that's all that remains of Lacey French, a young woman with a sharp tongue, who was disowned by her father, and was far too good to be hanging around with the likes of Mr. Gold. Because even the town harlot (a label now placed on Ruby Lucas) shouldn't be seen with greedy old Mr. Gold.

There were rumors, whispers that followed him everywhere he went that claim he pushed her, the suicide was just a cover up. Poor Lacey French was killed by Mr. Gold – she was getting too close to his money and too close to his power. Sheriff Graham didn't arrest him, or even question him. Then again nobody wanted to get evicted.

Of course she was only Poor Lacey whenever his name was mentioned. The rest of the time she was "Racy Lacey" – the girl who killed herself.

"I'm going to leave this stupid town one day." Lacey had told him, as she lay next to him, flushed pink after they had fucked on the bed in the back of the pawn shop.

"And just how do you plan on doing that Miss French? Going to ride off into the sunset with Prince Charming? Because you may want to buy some pants, as I've heard short skirts don't work well on horseback." Not that Mr. Gold minded the length, easier access for when they only had a few moments alone.

Lacey rolled over top of him, the sheet falling down and she was bare to him once again. "What is it going to take for you to stop calling me Miss French already?"

"Well I am rather enjoying the view."

She let out a giggle before bring her mouth back down to his. "Oh Mr. Gold." Lacey whispered against his mouth.

"Miss French." He growled back at her. Lacey nipped his bottom lip in response. But when he spoke her name softly, he earned a sharp kiss in reward.

An hour later he was alone. Lacey had a date, he assumed with her current boyfriend, Gregory or something. She went through them fast and it wasn't his place to know. Though Mr. Gold couldn't help but smirk knowing that she was going on a date with tender marks made by him all across her skin. But Lacey wasn't his – or anyone else's really. Lacey was just the woman who worked in his shop, an intellectual in a town of idiots that looked down upon her, and occasionally his fuck buddy. He wasn't the first man she had slept with, and they certainly weren't exclusive.

But Mr. Gold likes to think he was at least her last, because The Sheriff found her body the next day.

He didn't attend her funeral. Instead he quietly mourned a young woman that he was too cowardly to love by drinking a cup of tea by his fireplace. After all, Lacey said she was going to leave this town, and she never did clarify how.

Two years after the death of "Racy Lacey", the anniversary to be exact, Mr. Gold locked up his pawnshop, as he watched a group of teenage boys all dare each other to break into the library and finally get a glimpse of the rumored ghost. They bolted after hearing the sirens of a squad car come up behind them.

They wouldn't be the last to try and break in today.

"Sad day today, isn't it Mr. Gold."

Mr. Gold turned, leaning heavily on his cane to see Regina Mills standing behind him, wearing a smile laced with malice.

"I suppose it is for those that owe me rent but for me, just another day."

Regina looked taken a back. "You don't remember what happened two years ago?"

_Of course he knew._ "No, I'm afraid you will have to enlighten me- quickly as well, it is rent day after all."

"Apparently you weren't as close to your little promiscuous shopkeeper as I thought then. Poor Lacey French, I still can't even imagine what would bring the girl to throw herself off the clock tower." She glanced over to the library before narrowing her gaze back at him. "Perhaps she had a broken heart. Did you know anything?"

_Only that he was one of the men that she had been seeing._ "I try not to get involved in the personal life of my employees; I find it to be bad business." She was testing his last nerve. "Are we about finished here? I do have rent to collect."

"Of course, I just thought I would give my condolences. Lacey was your employee." Before he could respond, Regina had already headed off towards the town hall. "Good day Mr. Gold."

Mr. Gold didn't reply. Instead he glanced up at the clock tower one last time before beginning his walk to the nunnery. Regina had left him in a foul mood, best to start collecting rent from Storybrooke's most distasteful citizens. He never did like nuns.

Later when most of the town had gone quiet, he would visit the grave of a woman he could have loved.

If only he wasn't such a coward.

It was only the second day of the curse, but Regina couldn't resist rubbing it in to Rumpelstiltskin, or Mr. Gold in this new land, that he had lost his little maid not once now but twice.

Only Lacey French wasn't dead. Lacey didn't even know that she was Lacey French.

Regina peered in at her valuable chess piece, sitting in her cell under the hospital, where he wouldn't be able to find her. It would be a waste of her magic to give her any memories.

No, this was part of Rumple's punishment, false memories of a girl that never existed.

The foolish girl may even come in handy one day. But as Regina had told her before, she really was saving her from a lifetime of pain.

Perhaps it was time for the beauty to learn that you can't save every beast.

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**I always have to include this part because it makes me laugh everytime I read it **

Here's the alternate summary from TemporalTeatime:

HOT CHICK SCREWS OLD GUY THEN SHERLOCKS HERSELF OFF THE LIBRARY CLOCKTOWER, BUT IT WAS REGINA'S BITCH ASS PULLING A FUCKING HOUDINI AND MAKING HER DISAPPEAR. QUEUE FEELS.


End file.
